The estuarine lagoon and freshwater wetlands of Kah Tai are the remains of an extensive estuary to Port Townsend Bay. What survives today, though diminished, is a remarkably tranquil oasis, not wilderness but still wild. The original intent of its creation should be respected, so that this gem in the heart of our community is preserved in perpetuity.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

In October, unexpectedly large flocks of Buffleheads, Wigeons, Scaup, Canada Geese and other species descended on the lagoon. It is typically a sheltered and hospitable place for waterfowl even in late fall and winter.

The lagoon froze over earlier this month, and all the usual water birds apparently headed down to salt water at Point Hudson and Point Wilson to wait out the weather. Mallards, Northern Shovelers, Wigeons and Buffleheads, all more normally seen at Kah Tai, were observed hunkered down in both places until the weather turned again and the ice departed.

The cold snap didn't bring much snow for the park. The picture here is from a few years past, but it serves as a beautiful reminder of the season and the solstice.

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Kah Tai 2012

An excellent overview of earlier efforts to preserve Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park can be found here.

Kah Tai public presentations

Admiralty Audubon's November 17, 2011 program was a Kah Tai status update. Thirty-some people attended to hear about the RCO recommendation, the NPS ruling that includes all 78.5 acres of Kah Tai in the 6(f) boundary, and the Port's lawsuit against the City, RCO and NPS in an attempt to overturn that ruling.

Admiralty Audubon featured a presentation by Rick Jahnke on 17 February 2011, which included a history of the Park's creation and current attempts to develop the uplands. We estimated 40-50 attendees.

The Sierra Club of the North Olympic Peninsula presented a talk on the history of Kah Tai at their first Port Townsend general gathering, 22 January 2011. Rick Jahnke included a history of the Park's creation and current attempts to develop the uplands. We counted about 40 attendees in a standing-room-only crowd at the Community Center.

A roomful of Port Townsend citizens (we counted 65) attended a presentation on 25 August 2010. The warm-up music included two great protest songs written especially for fundraising to save Kah Tai in the late 1970s. Several visual displays highlighted the history of the struggle to protect Kah Tai from development incursions.